THE first of tens of thousands of festival-goers dressed up in their finery and descended on the rolling acres of Cornbury Park today for the start of the Wilderness Festival.

The event, which runs until Sunday, is one of the biggest in Oxfordshire – and certainly its most colourful, with revellers challenged to outdo each other with the most beautiful fancy dress costumes.

The event features headline sets by rock band Bastille, disco legend Nile Rodgers and Chic, and French electronic act Justice. Also joining the fun are DJ duo Groove Armada – who are planning a huge DJ set in a wooded valley on the edge of the festival site, near Charlbury.

The festival , which also features long-table banquets, spoken word performances, dance and woodland craft activities, takes an entire year to plan.

Event manager Charlotte DC said: “Unlike other festivals we celebrate each art with equal significance – be it an amazing main stage performance, world-class dance, theatre in the woods, Michelin-star food or fishing in the lakes. And we are incredibly lucky to call Cornbury Park our home.

“Wilderness is both inspired by and woven through its unbelievable landscape.”

p For a full interview with Charlotte DC go to oxfordmail.co.uk